WRITTEN BY JORDAN KOSSUTH
Elizabeth Schuler grew up in Marshall, MI, in a family with ties to the farming industry and a multi-generational fine dining restaurant. In fact, it was during a restaurant industry gathering in Toronto’s Chinatown that she had her first experience with Asian cuisines.
“We had no idea what anything was on the menu, let alone what to order, so we let the chef pick our dishes. I can't even recall what we ate, but I remember how every bite was filled with complex flavors that I had never tasted before. It was spicier, louder and much more informal than the food I knew. We slurped noodles and sat in a circle reaching over and around each other for bites in the center of the table. I was hooked!”
She felt out of place in the predominantly male-led family business, and looked to pave her own way, moving to Chicago to work as a hairdresser for several decades. During this time, she also spent nine weeks volunteering and traveling throughout Asia with several non-governmental relief organizations, feeding her love of exploration and gaining exposure to a variety of cuisines. Elizabeth highlights how beneficial this opportunity was, saying, “I feel like I got more out of that experience than I gave.”
As her son grew older and high school was on the horizon, her positive experience at East Grand Rapids High School came to mind. She felt he would miss out on this in the competitive Chicago school system, and they returned to Michigan, settling into Grand Rapids. The one thing she missed the most – the wide variety of cuisines readily available in Chicago.
DELICIOUS BEGINNINGS
Elizabeth started Haochi US because she was having trouble finding the foods she craved in the West Michigan area. In November 2019, she began experimenting with her own dumpling recipes. She highlights that these dumplings are made by a Midwestern girl influenced by her travels and culinary experiences. “I am by no means an expert on Asian cuisine,” Elizabeth laughs, “I have just started skimming the surface of all the different countries' cuisines, let alone the different regions within those countries. The more I know, the less I know.”
“Haochi” is the Mandarin pronunciation of two Chinese characters, which together translate to “good to eat” – often used to say food is “tasty” or delicious.” And delicious is the perfect way to describe her dumplings and sauces.
After piloting her recipes by selling to friends, Elizabeth relied on word of mouth and social media to allow customers to pick up her products from her home. Thanks to the support she’s garnered from the Grand Rapids community, Haochi US has become a regular staple at the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market.
FINDING WORK FOR WOMEN OVER 50
Prior to starting Haochi US, Elizabeth recognized that she was unhappy with her current employment and was struggling to find the right fit after leaving her position. She was able to find some part time work assisting local restaurants in bolstering their social media presence but struggled to find a long-term position to pay the bills.
Her struggle to find reemployment after the age of 50 is common – according to the Urban Institute, unemployed women over the age of 50 are 18 percent less likely to find new work than those aged 25-34. At 62, they are 50 percent less likely to be reemployed, with those who do find work often taking a significant pay decrease.
On top of that, the United States unemployment rate skyrocketed in 2020 at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic for individuals of all ages. For women over 55, the unemployment rate increased from 3.3 percent to 15.5 percent in just one month.
Recognizing the struggle for reemployment that she herself encountered, Elizabeth says, “I want to do my part for this community. There are millions of women over 50 who lost their jobs during the pandemic who will never find a job again.” Elizabeth seeks to build support systems and employ women over 50 who need the extra income – and her team definitely needs the extra hands on a dumpling rolling night.
ROLLING NIGHT
On a dumpling rolling night, Elizabeth has an average of 4-7 people working in her rented kitchen space. “The more, the merrier” is her sentiment, as it becomes more of a social gathering than a job. Each of her variety of dumplings is rolled into a different shape, so if one person excels at making a certain shape, they are working on that while others weigh out ingredients and fill more dumplings.
With a large group the team takes advantage of the space and brings people together to talk and enjoy the food preparation experience. The goal is to roll up to 1200 dumplings in one night, but they can do less or even more depending on upcoming events or festivals, as well as catering orders.
DUMPLINGS FOR DAYS
Elizabeth has perfected five dumpling flavors – with two vegan options. She jokes, “I’m an omnivore – I will eat anything, and I love vegetables as much as I love meat. I don’t want to feel like I’m depriving anyone of the flavor.”
Pork & Chive – Elizabeth says this is probably her most traditional flavor, although she jokes that “I can’t help but Americanize it by using way too much meat.” These dumplings are handmade with about 80 percent pork – rounded out with chives and seasoning.
Beef & Kimchi – Made using a mild kimchi to appeal to a broader range of tastes, this is Elizabeth’s favorite when paired with her Funky Aioli. Hint: For more heat, add more sauces!
Chicken & Carrot – Filled with ground chicken thighs, this triangle shaped dumpling is perfect when dipped in Lemongrass Chili sauce!
Tibetan Vegetable – These vegan friendly dumplings are made by blending cabbage, onion, carrots, and chives with tofu to make a creamy filling. Great in soup, stir fry – or on their own!
Mushroom – With four different types of mushrooms and Japanese shiitake powder, these dumplings are an umami bomb of flavor that pair well dipped in Spicy Soy Ginger or Funky Aioli to add a bit of spice.
These dumplings can be used in a variety of ways – steamed in a skillet, cooked in broth, added to a stir fry or on top of noodles – your options are endless. Keep an eye out on Haochi US Facebook page, as they often share new recipe ideas, local delivery updates, and cooking videos!
SAUCE IT UP!
Haochi US currently offers four versatile sauces that are sure to to mix up your weekday menu.
Funky Aioli – This mayonnaise-based sauce has the added funk of fish sauce and lemon juice and tastes great with anything spicy. “It’s like how blue cheese tastes good with spicy chicken wings,” Elizabeth says, “it complements the heat!” Funky Aoli is great on a burger, thrown over spicy noodles, or as a dipping companion to fries or roasted vegetables!
Lemongrass Chili – Complex, fresh, and the perfect balance between sweet and spicy, this is great over noodles or fried chicken.
Soy Ginger – Their most traditional offering, made with fresh garlic and ginger. Makes a great marinade for salmon or when sautéing green beans.
Spicy Soy – A vegan sauce using a Soy Ginger base with a kick of Korean hot peppers. Another great marinade to add heat to any veggie or meat.
Elizabeth looks to source ingredients locally and highlights how helpful the family at Kim Nhung Superstore have been in helping her find shitake powder and other hard to find ingredients. Elizabeth is also currently experimenting with a shelf stable noodle sauce she hopes to see in stores in 2022.
BRIDGE STREET MARKET
Haochi US dipping sauces can be shipped anywhere within the US through their online store, but the dumplings remain a local treat! Bridge Street Market was Elizabeth’s first grocery store account, and a great place to grab her bottled dipping sauces and frozen dumplings.
They boast a low prep time, taking only ten minutes from freezer to plate, and maintain that fresh flavor each time. The dumplings are sold in resealable bags, so it’s easy to grab a few of each flavor to make a meal, or even just a quick snack. And don’t forget the dipping sauces for another layer of flavor you won’t want to miss out on!